Acceptance
by shegoismyfav
Summary: Instead of stealing the puppies, Cruella adopts one.
1. Chapter 1

"Anita, darling!" the woman called out enthusiastically as she swept through the door, successfully slamming Nanny into the wall once again.

"Hello, Cruella," she replied calmly, if somewhat nervously.

Downstairs, Pongo and Perdy were busy ushering their children into the basket, desperate to keep them safe. The problem was, they were already six weeks old and quite large, so it was a challenge to fit all fifteen anywhere, much less a small basket. They yipped and growled as they pushed and shoved, trying to make room in the small space.

"Shh, children," Perdy whispered, afraid the witch upstairs would hear.

"Mother! Mother, help!" called Penny, the youngest pup, who also happened to be pinned under Rolly's bottom.

"Oh, my. Rolly, Rolly dear, stand up please. You're hurting your sister."

"Huh? Oh, sorry, Penny. I didn't see you there."

She growled as she wiggled away from her brother. She loved her family, really she did, but sometimes it was just hard to be a part of such a large family, and even harder to be the youngest. Her ears pricked at the new voice upstairs. It was a woman, and she seemed to be rich. Her voice was on the deeper side, and it was rich and sort of rolled in her pronunciation.

She seemed to know their pets, but Roger didn't seem to care for her. She lost interest in the conversation rather quickly, but it didn't stop her from being curious about the woman.

"Mother, who is that lady upstairs?"

"Cruella De Vil," her father answered, almost growling the name. "She is an evil, manipulative human. I don't want you anywhere near her."

"Yes, Dad."

* * *

"Anita, about the puppies, where are they?"

"Downstairs, Cruella. Would you like to see them?"

"Well, since you asked..."

Anita led the woman down to the small basement and straight to the closet. Pongo and Perdy met her at the door, growling threateningly. Cruella had enough sense to step back from the pair of dogs, but Anita simply placed her hands on her hips and glared at them.

"Pongo! Perdy! You know better than this! She won't hurt them, she only wants to see them. Stand aside."

Reluctantly, the parents moved away from the puppies. Cruella drew in a breath at the sight of so much lovely fur in one place. The puppies whimpered and drew back, all except Penny. She took a tentative step forward. Anita smiled and scooped her up, turning toward the other woman happily.

"And who is this charming little thing?" Cruella asked, transfixed by Penny's unique pattern of spots.

"This is Penny. She's the youngest of all the puppies. Would you like to hold her?" she asked when she noticed how Cruella was looking at the puppy.

She held out her hands wordlessly, and Anita placed the small dog in her arms. The adult dogs growled quietly, ready to spring into action should the need arise. For a moment, dog and human stared at one another. Penny was the first to move, and she leaned up and licked the woman on the cheek. She drew back, surprised, but not angry.

"She likes you!" Anita chirped.

"Yes, it seems she does."

And Penny did. She knew what her parents had said, but there was something about the woman that told her otherwise. She seemed energetic, and perhaps high strung, but not evil. In fact, she seemed more lonely than anything. The small dog curled closer to the woman, snuggling into her chest and giving a yip of happiness.

Pongo and Perdy couldn't believe their eyes. Their daughter actually liked that devil woman. They could see that she had found a pet of her own, and unfortunately there was nothing they could do about it.

"Anita, how much do you want for her?"

"Oh, Cruella, we couldn't part with her. Perdy wouldn't be able to bear it."

"I'll give you double what she's worth."

"I'm sorry, Cruella."

"Triple."

Anita bit her lip. That was a lot of money, and Penny did seem to like her. But she wouldn't feel right separating her from her brothers and sisters.

"I'm sorry Cruella, the answer is still no."

"But Anita, she's only one puppy. Surely you wouldn't miss her."

"You're wrong, Cruella. We would miss her very much, as would her parents."

"Very well, then." She sat the puppy on the ground carefully and turned to follow her friend upstairs. "Goodbye, little Penny."

Penny barked in protest, but neither human seemed to care.

"No! No, Cruella, come back! Don't leave!" she called.

Of course, all the women heard was barking. Determined to go with this new human she had claimed as a pet, the small puppy began scrambling up the stairs.

"Penny! Penny, wait!" Perdy called.

She began to go after her, but was stopped by a gentle tug on her collar. She looked at her husband questioningly, confused as to why her wouldn't permit her to go after their daughter.

"It's too late, they bonded. Didn't you see? To keep them apart now would only cause misery for both of them. And, as much as I hate to say it, our daughter would be happier with her than here with us."

"You're right, Pongo," she sighed, already missing her daughter.

"Come on, Perdy. Let's go make sure she stays happy."

* * *

Penny had managed to get up the stairs, and was concentrating on reaching the woman before she departed. Fortunately, Cruella had accepted Anita's offer to stay for tea. She found them in the living room, and wasted no time in running over to Cruella, yipping and barking to alert her of her prescience. Both women looked down, surprised to see one of the puppies. Cruella recognized her immediately, and put her hand down as way of calling her.

Penny zipped over to her, licking and nuzzling the hand affectionately. The woman smiled, the first genuine emotion she had displayed in a long time. Gently, she picked Penny up and sat her on her lap, not quite ready to part with her. Pongo and Perdy, who had followed their daughter upstairs, entered the room. Cruella stiffened when she saw them, well aware that they could possibly hurt her.

They simply laid down beside Anita, one on either side of her. Anita's hand absently drifted down to stroke Perdy's head. Cruella watched for the dog's reaction before lightly running her fingers across the top of Penny's head. The puppy sighed and pushed against the hand, silently asking for more. She continued to stroke the dog, keeping the conversation going with Anita and also watching the two adult dogs.

Before long, the tea was finished and it was time for Cruella to go. She placed Penny on the floor, but she was having none of it. She let the woman stand before sitting on the floor in front of her feet. She stepped around her, so Penny took drastic measures. When the woman wasn't looking, she managed to wiggle into her purse.

She was determined to go with that human one way or the other. Cruella didn't seem to notice the added weight when she picked up the bag, and Penny smiled. Pongo and Perdy saw what she had done, but chose to stay quiet, hoping that against all odds their daughter would get what she wanted.

"Thank you for a lovely afternoon, Anita."

"You're welcome, Cruella. I'm glad at least one of the puppies took a liking to you."

"Yes, and I would like even more if I was leaving with her. Oh, well. Cheerio, darling."

The door closed behind her and she began to descend the stairs to her car. Penny, unable to keep still any longer, began to wiggle and squirm in the small bag. Cruella froze in place, slowly unfastening the clasp on her purse. Penny popped her head out, panting happily. Cruella smirked at the dog's cleverness, and turned to take her back to her rightful owners.

Penny whimpered at the turn of events, not wanting to go back to her family. The closer they got to the door, the louder her whimpering grew until she was all but howling. When Anita opened the door, she did begin to howl.

"Cruella, what are you doing with Penny?"

"Returning her. She climbed inside my purse and I thought you might want her back."

"Thank you."

She held out her hands for the dog, but when Cruella tried to hand her over she whimpered. Anita drew back, shocked, and they both stared at the puppy.

"Perhaps she should go with you, since she doesn't seem to want to stay here." She looked down to the pair of dogs that had followed her to the door, and could have sworn they nodded their heads. "All right Cruella, you may buy Penny." The little dog yipped happily, and didn't even protest when she was put down so Cruella could write the check. "Take good care of her, Cruella."

"Of course I will, darling."

With that, the woman turned and left with her new dog, and if anyone had bothered to pay attention, they would have noticed said dog was smiling.


	2. Chapter 2

She was Cruella De Vil's dog. That was the thought that looped through Penny's head as she sat on the table after getting a warm bath. Her stylist had been instructed to bathe her, dry her, perfume her, and basically make her look adorable. She cooperated, eagerly wanting to please her pet. She lifted her head as a diamond studded pink collar was fitted and fastened.

She turned to look in the mirror at the tag that glinted golden in the light. Engraved in fancy cursive, the name Penny looped across the front. On the back, the words Hell Hall were engraved, as was a phone number to call. She watched as a pale pink bow was carefully pinned on top of her head. It didn't stay, so the stylist retrieved another bow of the same color that had an elastic band that permitted him to wrap it around her ear.

"Magnifique!" the man exclaimed in what was obviously a fake French accent. He picked her up and carried her out to the front room where Cruella was reading a magazine. "'Ere she iz Miz De Vil. What do you theenk?"

The woman stood, managing to tower over the little man, who shrank back nervously.

"I think," she said slowly as she looked over the dog, "that that horrid little bow needs to be disposed of. It clashes with the brighter shade of the collar and looks terribly uncomfortable."

"I assure you, Miz De Vil, zee bow iz abzolutely painless."

"Really? Why don't we ask Penny. Penny, darling, is that bow hurting your ear?" She barked in a way that seemed to say _Yes! Please take it off!_ "There, you see? It is hurting her little ear. Remove it immediately!"

"Of course, Miz De Vil."

He instantly reached over and pulled off the offending object, causing Penny to yelp as it tugged her ear.

"Imbecile! I'll have your head if you've injured her!"

She reached over and gently picked the puppy up, carefully checking her ear to make sure it wasn't hurt.

"Please, Miz De Vil, it waz an accident! I didn't mean to 'urt her!"

Penny, once in her pet's arms, calmed considerably and licked any inch of her she could reach, her way of thanking her for everything.

"Well, you're in luck. She seems all right, but if I find so much as a scratch or bruise, I'll have this little business of yours!"

She stormed out after that, not giving the man a chance to respond. After making sure Penny was resting comfortably in the passenger seat, she began her drive to Hell Hall, the one she was currently in, not the dilapidated mansion in Suffolk. Once at her mansion, a valet opened the passenger door. The small dog jumped down excitedly and began exploring her new home.

"Come, Penny," Cruella called from the front doors. "You'll have time for that later."

She did as she was told and rushed to her side, eager to see the inside. It was a complete opposite of her old home. The interior was furnished darkly, and eerie looking statues and portraits lined the walls. She whimpered a little and tucked her tail between her legs as she followed Cruella up some stairs and down a hall. They stopped in front of a large oak door, and Penny tilted her head questioningly. Cruella looked down and smiled at her before opening the door and stepping aside.

Penny stepped inside hesitantly, and froze in her tracks. The room was a bedroom, a large canopy bed taking up most of the far wall. There was a large tv on the opposite wall, and there were various dog toys littering the floor. There was a large window with stairs leading up to the window seat. Beside the stairs, two silver bowls sat, one filled with water, one with food, both engraved with her name.

As she looked around, she noticed a set of double doors in one of the walls. She looked back at the woman questioningly. She seemed to understand, as she stepped forward and opened them. It revealed another bedroom, all white with a large closet surrounding a raised bed. Penny knew immediately it was Cruella's room.

"This is my room. These doors will be left open or cracked most of the time, so of course you may come and go as you please. The door to your room will remain open as well."

The dog was shocked, to say the least. She had never had her own bowl before, much less a whole room. She barked happily and ran over to the woman. She picked her up immediately, and she licked her face furiously, desperate to convey how thankful she was and how much she loved her. Cruella laughed and held the puppy away from her face to get away from that little pink tongue.

"Yes, yes, I love you, too."

Yes, she was Cruella De Vil's dog, and it was a title she was more than proud to bear and keep.


	3. Chapter 3

Penny and Cruella fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. The woman never went anywhere without the dog, and in return Penny was the best guard dog anyone could have asked for. She growled whenever anyone approached her pet, and before they could so much as speak Cruella had to call her off. Even then she would barely tolerate them. The only people she didn't threaten were Roger and Anita, who they sometimes visited.

Afternoons were spent in or around the manor, playing fetch, swimming, or sometimes just relaxing by the fire. At night, after all the staff had gone to bed, and the manor was dead silent, Penny would hop off her own bed and pad into Cruella's room. She would sit just beside the bed and watch her sleep, as if to make sure she was all right. After she was satisfied, she would hop up the stairs that were there for just such a reason, (they were removed after she grew big enough to hop on and off the bed), curl up next to the woman, and slip back to sleep. Many a morning did she scare a servant who dared to enter and wake her pet.

She gradually grew bigger, becoming a gorgeous adult Dalmatian that many pleaded with Cruella to have their dogs mate with, but she always refused. For that Penny was grateful, as she didn't feel she would be a good mother, nor did she want children. She was perfectly content with life as it was, just her and her pet. She was perfectly happy, wanting for nothing. Life was wonderful.

Cruella, too, was happy. It was noticeable in her demeanor, and by the way her mood swings were less frequent. That's not to say her temper was never unleashed, it was, quite often, but rare were the days of uncontrollable rage. Not to mention the added security she felt having her dog with her every second of the day. Why, since Penny had gotten larger, PETA hadn't set one foot near her.

And Penny was such a sweet dog, and so well behaved. She always followed commands and even seemed to understand her. It was apparent she had made the right choice the day she paid a visit to Anita and her husband. It had certainly been worth it, that's for sure. She couldn't recall a time she had been happier.

**_22 Years Later_**

Penny was incredibly old for any dog, especially a Dalmatian. But then, she'd had excellent care. She was a grand old lady at twenty-two years and eight months, or 101 in dog years. She moved slowly, and her muzzle had grayed a bit, but she kept her sweet disposition for Cruella and every ounce of protectiveness she had had as a puppy. She was too old to play fetch or swim, or do anything really besides sleep and eat, but it didn't affect how much Cruella loved her.

Cruella herself wasn't doing very well, either. Actually, she was doing horribly. As Penny lay beside her, occasionally licking her hand, she recalled how and when it all started. Tuning out the beeping of the many machines surrounding the bed, she settled her head in the woman's lap and remembered.

* * *

Penny was too old to play fetch, at least, normal fetch. As she had aged, Cruella devised a different way to play so that she could remain as active as possible. Instead of throwing the ball, she would roll it across the floor and Penny would either catch it as it rolled by or go after it after it had stopped. One day they were playing like normal, but as Cruella reached to take the ball Penny had retrieved, a white-hot pain shot through her hand. She hissed and cradled it to her chest, massaging and hoping to make it ease off.

Penny, noticing her pet's distress, dropped the ball and went to her side, sniffing and looking up at her with concern in her eyes. She smiled down at her and stroked her head with her uninjured hand.

"It's all right, Penny. I just twisted it the wrong way."

Not completely convinced, the dog refused to let her be the rest of day. The pain in the woman's hand faded, and eventually went away entirely. The incident was forgotten, until the same thing happened with her other hand. Cruella waved it off as arthritis, though she was displeased. Penny suspected there was something more to it, but she knew nothing of human disease, so she couldn't exactly be certain.

A few months later they were playing the game again, and again a sharp pain stopped them. This time it was in her shoulder, and they didn't even try to continue playing. Cruella laid down immediately with a heat pack to soothe the pain, Penny by her side as always. She once again passed it off as a sign of encroaching age, but the dog was even more uneasy than before. She had seen arthritis in other humans, and _this_ was not arthritis.

Then it became hard for her to breathe. Any deep breath she took caused pain or a coughing fit. The servants began to gossip behind her back, though a few were genuinely worried for their employer. Penny growled at all of them just the same. She didn't care if they loathed her, she was worried for her pet.

Months passed, and Cruella developed a cough. This was slightly less worrisome, because after all, she smoked, and as a result had developed a cough early in life. The pain had stopped, so Penny began to relax a bit in hope that things were beginning to return to normal. But then she began to experience chest pains. Nothing harsh, she explained, just like a fist squeezing her heart and letting go.

And then she began to get ill frequently. It seemed that each time she got sick the illness would hang on longer and longer each time. She never really seemed to get better before she got sick again, and by this point even she was beginning to suspect something was wrong. Cruella spent more time in her room than outside of it, and though she never felt well, she always made sure to give Penny attention. The dog's heart broke for her pet, and she wished fervently she could trade places with her.

She knew she was old by human and dog standards, and that Cruella still had many years to live. Finally, after many days filled with whimpering and nudging, Cruella called and scheduled an appointment with her doctor. He accepted her immediately and agreed to allow Penny inside the office. (Because come on, who can really refuse Cruella De Vil?) The dog was relieved.

Maybe now they could get some answers. Unfortunately, the answers weren't what anyone was hoping for. Cruella had been checked over, and the doctor had heard or found something he didn't like and sent her to x-ray. She was sitting and petting Penny when he returned looking grim. She froze mid-stroke, causing the dog to look up in worry.

She looked back and forth between her pet and the doctor, unease bubbling in her stomach. A piece of shiny black paper was removed from an envelope, momentarily distracting and confusing her. Why did he have black paper? That wasn't going to help. She soon understood when he placed it on the wall and flipped a switch, illuminating an x-ray of Cruella's lungs.

But something was wrong. The picture was blurry, what looked like a large mass covering the entirety of her chest. The woman sucked in a breath, understanding sinking in even before the doctor said a word.

"I'm sorry, Miss De Vil, but you have cancer. Lung cancer at that, and in a very aggressive form."

"How...how long do I have?" she whispered, and Penny realized she was crying.

She flipped around and growled at the doctor, one of the deepest and most threatening she could produce. She had never seen her pet cry, not once in the two decades she had lived with her. He visibly paled and took a step back. She started to advance, but was stopped by a firm grip on her collar and the sit command. She looked from her pet to the man, confusion, love, anger, and so many other emotions for which there were no name swirling and clearly visible in her eyes.

Cruella understood, which only made her cry harder as she knew there were some things even her loyal companion couldn't protect her from. Penny whimpered, torn between obeying and attacking the man that caused the pain.

"Sit, darling," Cruella choked out through her tears.

Penny sat, and began licking her hand. The doctor swallowed thickly, it having been years since he had seen a bond that strong between any two beings, especially human and animal.

"Unfortunately, you came in too late. The cancer has spread to other vital organs, and I'm afraid it's too far along to treat. You have at most a month. I advise getting your affairs in order and informing anyone who you believe needs to be aware."

"Will I have to be admitted to the hospital?"

"No, not if you don't want to be. I can arrange for all the necessary equipment to be delivered to your home as well as a arrange for a highly recommended nurse to stay with you."

"Thank you," Cruella said quietly as she stood and prepared to leave.

Penny stood too, and glanced back at the man before following her pet out the door. If he didn't know better, he would have sworn she understood everything that had transpired.

* * *

Penny sighed and lifted her head to look at the monitors. She had learned to read them over the past month, just so she could alert the nurse if something happened. They were steady, but each day they slowed a little more. She knew it wouldn't be long until her pet was no longer with them. She licked at the pale hand that lay motionless on the bed, as it had for the past week or so.

The horrible thing was, though the woman never moved, Penny knew she was awake. She had overheard the nurse talking about it to another servant, but even if she hadn't heard them she would have known. She could sense it somehow, but if that was all she could get as a way to know her pet was at least still alive then she would gladly take it. She lifted her head as a servant came in and began dusting the room. Recognizing the woman, she simply laid her head back down without making a sound.

That was how the servants knew something terrible was happening. The dog growled or barked at all of them, even the ones she had known since she was a puppy. The morning after they got home from the doctor she never made a sound. It startled the particular servant who had entered so badly that they dropped the breakfast tray. She growled at the woman for that, but it was a quiet growl, not the almost roar she usually produced.

They had learned soon enough what was wrong, and had been on their best behavior ever since. There were no more maids found gossiping in the halls, no more loud noises from the kitchen. It was as if Cruella was dead already. But she wasn't, not yet. Those monitors still beeped, still whooshed air, were still there.

* * *

Penny hadn't moved from Cruella's side since they came home from the doctor. She barely ate, barely slept, barely moved. It was hard to watch, even some of the servants who despised the dog would admit to that if asked. Penny could feel the effects of not moving for such a long period of time, but then, she had already realized she wouldn't live long after her pet passed. The separation would kill her.

Her ears pricked as she noticed a difference in one of the monitors. The heart rate had sped up just a little, unnoticeable to anyone except Penny. Then Cruella's hand began to twitch, just a little, but she moved nonetheless. The dog lifted her head, hoping and waiting.

The woman slowly lifted her hand and found Penny's side. From there she slid it upwards until it rested on her head. Penny looked up into her pet's face and saw that her eyes were just barely open. She heard the silent command issued, and lay back down. She felt weak scratching at her ears and one last stroke to her head before the hand stilled. When she looked back up Cruella's eyes were closed.

She whimpered quietly and nuzzled the woman's stomach, but got no response. All was peaceful for a few hours. Night had fallen, and the house was silent with the exception of the monitors. Yet again Penny lay awake, unable to sleep though she was exhausted. Her ears pricked as she once again noticed a change in the heart monitor.

The pace was changing again, but this time instead of speeding up it slowed down drastically. She sat up and stared at the line, watching and waiting for the next little spike to signify a heartbeat. It came, but not as soon as she would have liked. The next was even slower, and she knew it wouldn't be much longer. She put her head back in Cruella's lap and listened to the beeping of the monitor as she waited for the inevitable.

She didn't have to wait long before a shrill beep sounded. Her head shot up to look at the monitor screen, trying to see why it made that sound. The line was flat, and showed no sign of changing. She licked her pet's cheek one last time before howling loudly. The noise echoed through the manor, waking everyone inside.

Everyone rushed to Cruella's room, automatically knowing the source of such a noise. As people began entering and lights were turned on, Penny's howls turned into whimpers and eventually died out all together. Her head was back in Cruella's lap as people rushed around trying to revive her. As the yelling increased and movement became more frantic, the world began to dull around the dog as she closed her eyes. Sound and light faded away to darkness and silence.

The last thing she heard was "She's not responding!" before blissful nothingness took over.

* * *

The day of the funeral was dark and overcast, contrary to most people's mood. Many were happy the she-devil was finally dead and gone. Thus, not many people showed up for the service. It began to rain just as the minister was finishing up. At the end of the service the attendees had the opportunity to go up and place a single pink rose on the lid of the casket, which was white.

One man waited until the last possible moment before rising as he reflected on all the years he spent under the woman's employ. He wondered if she and the dog could sense their separation. No matter, he reasoned as he neared the casket. It wouldn't be long before they were reunited. He laid the rose on top of the small pile that had accumulated before turning to face the dog lying miserably beside the casket.

He patted her head, as the others had done before him, before clipping her leash back onto her collar. She looked up at him with large sad eyes before standing. She turned, picked up a small teddy bear, and placed it on top of the roses before lying back down. It had been her favorite toy, and one they'd played with many times.

"Come on, girl," he said softly. She turned her head and looked at him before whimpering quietly. "I know, but she's not here anymore."

Slowly, the dog rose and followed as bid, looking over her shoulder at the casket constantly.

**_3 Months Later_**

Albert Sanders sighed as he shrugged into his coat. It was three in the morning, much too early to be awake, but he had grown used to it by now. Having been named Penny's handler after Cruella passed, this wasn't the first time he had to leave the manor in the wee hours of the morning. Sighing heavily, he locked the door behind him and began walking. There was no need to worry, he knew exactly where the dog was.

Not long after Cruella was entombed in the family mausoleum Penny began slipping out at night to go and lie outside the door. She knew in reality there was no reason for her to be there, but something compelled her to go. She felt closer to her pet when she was outside the door. The first time she had done it, an immediate sense of relief washed over her the instant her paw-pad hit the the first stair. It had been a long time before anyone had seen her, and then it was an officer who escorted her home after reading her tag.

As the months passed she began to visit the mausoleum more and more. She craved the closeness she felt to her pet when she was there. It wasn't long until Albert caught on to where she went, and he would calmly come retrieve her with a few spoken words. Each time she made the trip it got harder and harder on her to move, but she wasn't about to stop just because of something as trivial as a little pain. But what neither knew what that her current visit would be her last.

She had set out like she normally did, though she noticed it seemed to be taking longer than usual to reach the cemetery. Once there, she made her way to the mausoleum and laid outside the door. But instead of lying awake and staring at the door as she was prone to do, she felt a wave of fatigue wash over her. She gave in, unable to help it. She was asleep within minutes, feeling a calmness as she'd never felt before as she drifted off.

* * *

Albert entered the cemetery calmly, knowing the dog was there. He casually made his way to the mausoleum where, sure enough, he found Penny lying beside the door as he always did.

"Penny," he called softly. He grew worried when she didn't raise her head in response as she always did. He went a little closer, noticing she appeared to be asleep. "Penny," he called again. "Oh, no. No," he whispered as he saw she wasn't breathing.

He crouched down beside her to make sure, and found his assumption to be correct. He sighed sadly, lifting his head to look at the door.

"It's fitting," he said, "that she died here, with you."

* * *

He arranged to have Penny buried beside the mausoleum so that even in death she wouldn't be separated from Cruella. Her death was a international story, as she held the title of oldest dog in the the world at twenty-three years old. Some who did the math to find her actual age in dog years were astounded-she was 105. A little marker was erected that stated her name, her age, and her owner. Not long after she was buried, Albert wrote a book detailing Penny and Cruella's relationship entitled _Through Time and Space, Love Will Always Find a Way._

It went in depth at how deep the love between owner and pet could go, and it also showed how owning a dog had changed Cruella for the better. It was a bestseller in no time. In this way, both Penny and Cruella lived on for many years, their story considered one of the greatest ever recorded.

* * *

_Penny opened her eyes when she heard her pet calling. She was prepared to wake up to the darkness of her room, having by now dreamed the same scenario many times. To her shock, she didn't wake up in her room, but in a warm, sunny field filled with flowers. The sky was blue above, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Cruella called her again, and she turned her head in the direction the voice came from._

_And there she was, looking the same as the day she had taken her home. Penny jumped up excitedly, and to her amazement found that she was once again a young dog._

_"Come, darling," Cruella called. _

_And come Penny did. She jumped onto the woman hard enough to knock her over. For a moment, Penny worried she'd hurt her, before she began to laugh. When she realized she was okay, she began licking her face furiously. _

_"Down, Penny, down," Cruella laughed. "I missed you, too."_

_There, in a field, owner and dog were reunited. There they could play fetch, take long walks, or relax for as long as they wanted. After all, they had all of eternity to spend together. _

_"Come Penny, fetch!" Cruella called as she threw a ball that had appeared out of nowhere._

_They had best get started, because after all, eternity is a very long time._


End file.
